Ephesians 6:5 Parallel Translations

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with proper respect. Be as sincere as you are when you obey Christ.(GOD'S WORD®)

Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

ASV:

Servants, be obedient unto them that according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

BBE:

Servants, do what is ordered by those who are your natural masters, having respect and fear for them, with all your heart, as to Christ;

DBY:

Bondmen, obey masters according to flesh, with fear and trembling, in simplicity of your heart as to the Christ;

ERV:

Servants, be obedient unto them that according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

WEY:

Slaves, be obedient to your earthly masters, with respect and eager anxiety to please and with simplicity of motive as if you were obeying Christ.

WBS:

Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ;

WEB:

Servants, be obedient to those who according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ;

YLT:

The servants! obey the masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as to the Christ;

Ephesians 6:5 Cross References

XREF:

1 Corinthians 2:3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Colossians 3:22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

1 Timothy 6:1 All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against.

Titus 2:9 Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, (NASB ©1995)

Commentaries and Concordances

GSB:

6:5 {7} Servants, be obedient to them that are [your] masters {8} according to the flesh, with {d} fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
(7) Now he descends to the third part of a family, that is, to the duty both of the masters and of the servants. And he shows that the duty of servants consists in a hearty love and reverence for their masters.
(8) He moderates the sharpness of service, in that they are spiritually free even though they are servants, and yet that spiritual freedom does not take away physical service: insomuch that they cannot be Christ's, unless they serve their masters willingly and faithfully, as much as they may with clear conscience.
(d) With careful reverence: for slavish fear is not allowable, much less in Christian servants.

PNT:

6:5 Servants. The term does not refer so much to hired servants, as slaves, of whom there were many millions in the Roman Empire at that time. These were of all races, prisoners taken in war, or their children. Christianity did not violently destroy this relation, but regulated, mitigated and undermined it by introducing a new element into human life which would destroy it.
Masters according to the flesh. Earthly masters whose dominion will go no farther than this world.
With fear and trembling. Not for fear of punishment, but for fear that the service is not done right.
In singleness of your heart, as unto Christ. Christ will see and reward your fidelity to duty, even if an earthly master does not.

WES:

6:5 Your masters according to the flesh - According to the present state of things: afterward the servant is free from his master. With fear and trembling - A proverbial expression, implying the utmost care and diligence. In singleness of heart - With a single eye to the providence and will of God.

MHC:

6:5-9 The duty of servants is summed up in one word, obedience. The servants of old were generally slaves. The apostles were to teach servants and masters their duties, in doing which evils would be lessened, till slavery should be rooted out by the influence of Christianity. Servants are to reverence those over them. They are to be sincere; not pretending obedience when they mean to disobey, but serving faithfully. And they must serve their masters not only when their master's eye is upon them; but must be strict in the discharge of their duty, when he is absent and out of the way. Steady regard to the Lord Jesus Christ will make men faithful and sincere in every station, not grudgingly or by constraint, but from a principle of love to the masters and their concerns. This makes service easy to them, pleasing to their masters, and acceptable to the Lord Christ. God will reward even the meanest drudgery done from a sense of duty, and with a view to glorify him. Here is the duty of masters. Act after the same manner. Be just to servants, as you expect they should be to you; show the like good-will and concern for them, and be careful herein to approve yourselves to God. Be not tyrannical and overbearing. You have a Master to obey, and you and they are but fellow-servants in respect to Christ Jesus. If masters and servants would consider their duties to God, and the account they must shortly give to him, they would be more mindful of their duty to each other, and thus families would be more orderly and happy.

CONC:

Anxiety Bondmen Christ Eager Earthly Fear Flesh Heart Masters Motive Natural Obedient Obey Obeying Ordered Please Respect Servants Simplicity Sincerity Singleness Slaves Trembling

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GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved.

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